Around town, news of war's onset taken mostly in stride

A man inside the American Legion Post No. 37 was kicking the jukebox moments before President George W. Bush declared war would commence Wednesday night.

A country song played on the speakers, drowning out the president's words to the nation.

Across the street, at Tradewinds Tropical Lounge and Grill, there were only murmurs as the president declared war.

A few pedestrians stopped outside Tradewinds to listen to Bush's message being broadcast over the amplifiers set up for the band, Matanzas.

After the speech, the band took the stage, asking everyone in the St. Augustine crowd to "help us sing to all our men and women overseas."

The few dozen patrons joined in the singing of "America the Beautiful," some raising their beers to the lyrics, "God shed His grace on thee."

Outside, Tom McGuire, 65, New York, expressed his concern over the conflict. "How could anybody prefer war to peace?" he asked, a blood red moon rising over the Bridge of Lions.

The only person at the American Legion who seemed to notice the president speaking was Mary Ellen Triebel, 51, who read the captions under the muted screen. She said she is worried for her three children, ages 17 to 22.

"I want the world safe for my grandchildren," she said. "What kind of world is going to be left for them?"

On the other end of the bar, Gary Spence, 52, said the war is overdue and the sooner Saddam Hussein is in his grave, the better.

"He's a sadistic, sorry human being that God shouldn't have ever made," Spence said. "He should have been born dead."

Reached at home by telephone, Peg McIntire, 92, the director of Grandparents for Peace and the "initiator" of People for Peace and Justice, said the war should not be fought. "I just wonder when we'll ever learn that violence can do only harm."

She called Wednesday, "a sad, sad night."

Flagler College students seemed split on the war Wednesday night, too.

Crystal Hill, 20, Crestview, had a message for people who don't support U.S. troops. "People should remember even though they don't want the war, they're not the ones in foxholes fighting it."

Fernando Subira, 20, Argentina, opposes the war, calling the United States the policeman of the world. "The U.S. is telling the whole world no one can control America," he said.

Army veteran Thomas Murphy, 48, served beer inside the American Legion to men and women discussing war. On a sign above his head were the words, "It's not the amount you pay to be a member, but the price you paid to be eligible."

Even with that grim message behind him, he did not flinch at the new war.

"My son's in the service and I have no regrets," he said.

His son, Thomas Murphy Jr., graduated from St. Augustine High School in 1996 and joined the Navy. He was on one of the first destroyers deployed to the fight against Afghanistan.

He agreed with Bush's stance against terror and those who rule under such. So did James Lich, 34, of St. Petersburg, who called Bush's words, "The final speech to a well-written plan. The only other speech that should be forthcoming is the victory speech."

The onset of war was still popular at Post 37 Thursday afternoon while the second night of bombing commenced.

Vince Gedral, 45, St. Augustine, had three words for the conflict: "We love it."

A Navy veteran, Gedral is the sergeant of arms at Post 37, and calls himself "one of the 66 percent that backs the president."

He said there is one strategy to this war, and that's to "bomb the hell out of them."

The war did affect some downtown activities, however. Chris Clark, 20, St. Augustine, works at the Spanish Quarter, and sometimes gives tours. He said seven out of 10 schools scheduled for tours on Thursday canceled. He said this was surprising since, "a lot of them don't even cancel if it's raining."